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Ask Kate McCoy, M.Ed, NBCC, LPC Your Own ...

Kate McCoy, M.Ed, NBCC, LPC, Therapist

Category: Mental Health

Satisfied Customers: 5682

Experience: Over 20 years experience specializing in anxiety, depression, drug and alcohol, and relationship issues.

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Kate McCoy, M.Ed, NBCC, LPC is online now

Hi, Im a 23yr old male. I work part-time at a bank(decreased

Customer Question

Hi, I'm a 23yr old male. I work part-time at a bank(decreased hours due to anxiety) and produce music(trying to make it a career). I've lost interest in everything in life and I feel like I am depressed at times. I smoke weed on a daily basis and I realize that it's obviously not helping at all and I am doing my best to decrease daily intake and ultimately stop smoking it. I live with my mom, grandma and twin brother and I hear about family problems all day which doesn't help of course. I used to be really happy and had a fighting spirit which led to many achievements in sports since a young age. It kind of changed after my mom & dad started to fight daily and dad ended up beating mom really badly but there was never any justice(he has close ties with important people from where I'm from).

I'll be honest, today I was close to committing suicide, I wrote a 'suicide note', ended up crying like a baby and did nothing at the end. I want to go back to who I was and put all my efforts in music but at the moment all I do is sit in bed watching movies etc. while smoking weed. Also I take a lot of sick leave from work due to this too. I'd appreciate your help a lot as I honestly don't know what to do and I can't afford professional advice.

It sounds like you are depressed. And there could be two reasons why it is difficult for you to overcome your depression.

One, you went through a very traumatic event seeing your parents argue then having your mother beat by your father. Violence, especially towards someone you love and care about, it upsetting enough to cause depression and possibility PTSD (post traumatic stress syndrome). And since your father was never punished for this crime, there is a sense of helplessness and injustice from what you experienced. This is very difficult to resolve and can definitely contribute to how you feel right now, especially with the depression and anxiety. What happened to you overwhelmed your ability to cope and brought you to the point you are now. It can also make you feel angry. Anger can contribute to feelings of depression because there is no way to let those feelings out in a safe way so you turn them inward and become depressed.

Two, marjiauna is a depressant which can be contributing to your feelings of depression and lack of motivation. Many people feel marjiauna helps them to feel better because it provides an escape from how they feel. But instead it only adds to the problem by pulling you down more and not letting you learn to cope on your own.

Suicide can seem like an option because you just want the pain to stop. But there are alternatives that can provide hope and help you come out of this situation feeling like you used to- hopeful and happy.

The first step is to talk to a counselor. You need the support right now and help with how you feel. If at all possible, talk with your doctor about a referral to a therapist. Or if you have counselors available at your school, that is also an option. But if you are unable to see a counselor face to face, you can work on your issues through on line counseling. Just search "on line counseling" in a search engine and you will find many resources.

Also, consider support groups on line or in person. Talking with others who have experienced the same symptoms as you can help you feel less alone.

The next step is to learn more about depression, anxiety, PTSD and the effects of marjiauna use. The more you know, the better tools you will have to overcome your symptoms. Here are some resources to help you get started:

I will tell you that...the things you have to go through to be an Expert are quite rigorous.

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